The Docklands debate | PUNT ROAD END | Richmond Tigers Forum
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The Docklands debate

Number8

Tiger Superstar
Oct 12, 2010
1,193
2,799
Melbourne
This is being covered in multiple threads, so we may as well dump our thoughts on the dump into one dump-tastic thread.

Two things I want to say very clearly.

First, to all those who just can't wrap their heads around why a club with 100k members can't attract 20k to the venue, ask us rather than assume we're too precious to travel five kilometres across town from our home ground! There are myriad reasons that crowd was low, from COVID concerns coming out of our last home game and complex ticketing arrangements that make it hard to sit with family and friends to sub-standard transportation and the poor drawing power of the opposition. To those in the media who struggle to process all that and think you're clever taking a free swing at us, I can't help you.

Second, it seems to me Ticketek or Docklands or the AFL or all of them would prefer empty seats than finding ways to draw in the crowd. That's OK—it is a choice that's been made from the day the dump opened so none of us should be surprised. Does anyone remember the French git who ran the place at the outset? For some unfathomable reason, the decision was made to fully ticket the venue for all games, and this idiot was quoted saying Melburnians would have to simply get used to it. Suffice to say, the blowhard didn't last long in the job and the idea of full ticketing was given the lemon and sars.

Then there was the PR debacle that was the 'lock in', where people couldn't get a pass out in order to buy cheaper food and drink on the concourse. Again, a bad decision, with greed at its heart, that had to be overturned.

I hate supporting the idea that my general admission membership will only get me access to the top level or parts of the bottom level, while countless 'premium' seats remain empty on the other levels. If that's how things are going to be run, Docklands can continue to draw pathetic crowds. It's an idealogical matter and it's at odds with the egalitarian nature of Australian Rules football as we know it. Yes, I know it happens everywhere but there are many more options at the MCG and the difference in cost between general admission and upgraded tickets at Docklands is outrageous.

Supply versus demand is a very simple metric and Docklands has a Herculean task to win back Richmond supporters. The demand to attend games at the venue just isn't there. They should be ashamed so few want to attend their venue. To me, this is more about the drawbacks of Docklands than it is about we supporters. I even detest the fact the AFL tells us we will play a home game there, irrespective of our wishes.

Rather than build goodwill, those responsible for the effective running of the place have fallen at every hurdle.

The fans are voting with their feet.
 
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Redford

Tiger Legend
Dec 18, 2002
34,360
26,207
Tel Aviv
Free beer fixes everything - including Dumplands.

It’s not hard. Give the people what they want. Wake up McLachlan.
 
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Number8

Tiger Superstar
Oct 12, 2010
1,193
2,799
Melbourne
The irony of the poor crowd on the weekend is that the pundits are using it as a chance to have a laugh at the expense of Richmond and its supporters.

They should be more concerned about the damage it does to the AFL's brand and that of its marquee venue.

In a prime time TV slot, those empty seats looked shithouse.

Ultimately, who does that hurt?
 

Number8

Tiger Superstar
Oct 12, 2010
1,193
2,799
Melbourne
And while I'm on a roll, who's responsibility is it to attract crowds to the footy anyway?

If the crowds aren't coming, don't berate them. Focus your energy on fixing the issues!
 
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LeeToRainesToRoach

Tiger Legend
Jun 4, 2006
33,186
11,546
Melbourne
On one hand it's a bit nit-picky to turn your nose up at Marvel. It's not a bad place to go compared to Moorabbin or the Western Oval!

On the other, the AFL now owns Marvel so presumably is no longer required to host a minimum number of games there. On top of that, I get the feeling that the club is genuinely aggrieved about a few things (rule changes? spending cuts?) and is using our 100K-strong membership base to push back on the AFL. Exactly what the AFL feared - we have become too big for comfort.
 
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TOT70

I'm just a suburban boy
Jul 27, 2004
9,734
3,802
Melbourne
If nothing else, Marvelgate was a timely little distraction from Nightclubgate. Does anyone remember who did what when Bolton broke his hand any more?

let’s all line up and call out Richmond’s first world problems!
 
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TOT70

I'm just a suburban boy
Jul 27, 2004
9,734
3,802
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And, by the way, EVERY game should be played at the MCG, unless there is a compelling reason to play it elsewhere. For example, GWS V Gold Coast could be played on the moon. The crowd would still be the same so we may as well give the hallowed turf a rest. That is compelling enough for me.
 
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TOT70

I'm just a suburban boy
Jul 27, 2004
9,734
3,802
Melbourne
And, by the way, NO games should be played at Kardinia Park until they reshape the ground to bring it up to AFL standard. If the want Richmond to play there again, then they need to build another 50k seats.

Build it and the Tiger Army will come.
 
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Brodders17

Tiger Legend
Mar 21, 2008
17,663
11,701
This is the kind of crap media folk would prefer to churn out:


And this after a year when 100,000 Richmond members made a financial commitment to their club without being able to exercise their right to attend a game.

Talk about a tone deaf response!
As I wrote on another thread, Richmond supported have over the last 40 years earnt the right to do whatever we want.
 
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TOT70

I'm just a suburban boy
Jul 27, 2004
9,734
3,802
Melbourne
And, by the way, Port Adelaide should alter their prison bars jumper so that the white bars are replaced by teal bars and then they could wear it every week, no problem.
 
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TOT70

I'm just a suburban boy
Jul 27, 2004
9,734
3,802
Melbourne
And by the way, Gerard Whateley occasionally uses big words without knowing what they mean.

Robbo does this every time he speaks, even when the words aren’t big.
 
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TOT70

I'm just a suburban boy
Jul 27, 2004
9,734
3,802
Melbourne
Is there anything else we can call out? I’m feeling very woke all of a sudden.
 
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Baloo

Delisted Free Agent
Nov 8, 2005
44,113
18,925
If nothing else, Marvelgate was a timely little distraction from Nightclubgate. Does anyone remember who did what when Bolton broke his hand any more?

let’s all line up and call out Richmond’s first world problems!

This is how I saw it. First Benny then Beavis doubling down. Not just a diversion from Nightclubgate, but a deliberate ploy to generate an Us vs Them mentality in the club. A bit like the 2 public transgressions last year galvanised the team.
 
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Number8

Tiger Superstar
Oct 12, 2010
1,193
2,799
Melbourne
This is how I saw it. First Benny then Beavis doubling down. Not just a diversion from Nightclubgate, but a deliberate ploy to generate an Us vs Them mentality in the club. A bit like the 2 public transgressions last year galvanised the team.
You both might be absolutely right but I'd hate the message being sent to the AFL and the Docklands Stadium to be lost.

If you can't get a fifth of our members to attend a home game to which they've effectively already bought a ticket, that actually is a problem for them.

To be clear: my interest in this is that we, the rank and file Richmond people, are having our loyalty called into question.

It's wrong and a diversion from the real issue: Docklands is a failure.
 

eZyT

Tiger Legend
Jun 28, 2019
21,434
25,775
Is there anything else we can call out? I’m feeling very woke all of a sudden.

we could try calling Gil Mclachlans wife horrible names and groping her,

in the bar line up at Docklands, wearing a Port Collingwood jumper and made up in Black face, while screaming 'BAAAAAALLLLLLLLL you filthy green maggots',

and seeing how he reacted?
 
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